Chapter Five
The next day, Mercy made her rounds.The blacksmith seemed to be healing nicely, and she gave the wife of Daniel the farmer, who was sick with stomach pains, some wormwood and mint to mix in her food.
On her way back home, her mind wandered to Eoos. She had to protect him so he could recover. And, in return, she hoped he could help them with the bishop. She was hoping he could fight off the bishop’s men and save the children. But she knew this wouldn’t be enough. The bishop would bring more men. Eoos would be taken as well as Kit. Hopeless despair swirled inside her. Her mind continued to return to the fact that he had killed the Archbishop. Would asking him to kill Bishop Devdan be enough to solve the problem? To save the children?
As she continued home, lost in thought, it took a moment for her to realize someone was calling her. She turned and saw Walter approaching her. He kicked up little puffs of dirt as he hurried toward her. Mercy smiled in greeting but saw the seriousness etched in his brow. “Is everyone alright?”
He grabbed her arm. “Simon is furious you didn’t accept Lief’s proposal.”
Mercy grimaced and opened her mouth to respond.
Walter continued, “He is going to search your home for the knight. He is riding to your place now.”
Tingles of trepidation danced along her spine. He had not finished the words when Mercy spun and raced for home. Her heart pounded as her feet stomped the dirt in her hurry. She cut through Daniel’s wheat field. The branch from a weed snagged her dress. She reached down to rip it away when its sharp tip tore her skirt. She barely stopped.
He couldn’t take Eoos! Her mind continued to repeat no, no, no. Over and over. As she rounded a copse of trees separating Daniel’s field from her land, her cottage came into view. It looked so peaceful, as if it were just another day.
Then, she heard Kit’s cry.
Her heart lurched and she forced herself to go faster. If Simon hurt Kit, if he touched him…
She hurried forward, rounding the cottage. Kit was on the ground near the barn, holding his cheek and looking up at Simon.
Rage filled Mercy, but before she could act, the door to the barn swung open and Eoos exploded from within like a dark storm cloud. He lifted his fist and delivered a solid blow to Simon’s jaw.
A strangled sound issued from her lips as she ran across the road and threw herself over Kit to protect him, her eyes sweeping her child for injury. His cheek was red, but it seemed to be his only injury.
She locked eyes with Simon who was in the dirt just feet from them. His eyes were wide in disbelief as they swiveled to Eoos towering above him.
“If you feel the need to hit a child again, seek me out first,” Eoos snarled between clenched teeth.
Mercy shot to her feet, laying a hand on his shirtless arm. Eoos looked at her, and when their gazes met, she saw the reined fury snapping in his blue eyes. Then, she spun on Simon. “How dare you strike my son?” she demanded of Simon. “I will take this up with the magistrate.”
Simon climbed to his feet, a head shorter than Eoos. He stared at Eoos, his lips twitching in hatred. “Who is this?”
The words came naturally to Mercy. “This is my cousin, Eoos. He’s come to offer me and Kit the protection you said we need.”
Simon narrowed his eyes in disbelief. “He looks like that knight.”
“He looks nothing like that knight!” She glanced at Eoos and was glad he had shaved his beard. She looked back at Simon. “I’m telling you, this isn’t the knight.” She was furious. Furious that Simon had struck Kit. Furious that she didn’t realize the threat Simon presented. “I already told you the knightescaped.” Beside her, she felt Eoos’s fist clench. She squeezed his arm in a warning to stay silent. “Would you tell the bishop that? Would you tell him how you let the knight escape?”
Simon seemed to think about this. He spit on the ground. “An excommunicated knight. We should have killed him when we had the chance.”
“Murder is a sin.”
Simon looked at Eoos carefully, his eyes narrowed again. “He has the same marks as a man who was in a fight at the inn would have.”
“Aye,” Mercy said. “They are bruises one gets in a common fight. Some brigands came last night. He fought them off.”
Simon’s eyes narrowed further in doubt.
“Just like you said they would. We were lucky Eoos was here.”
Simon grimaced. He looked at Mercy. “You should have married Lief.” He began to back away.
Mercy felt a swirling of dread and relief. She had lied to Simon to protect Eoos. And she would do it again to save him. She released his arm and stepped after Simon. “You are not welcomed here, Simon.”
“I never was.”
